The Story Behind the Lights: Harim Group Headquarters

Aug 15, 2016

Create a special design future that draws attention to a building by day and night. That was the challenge for our Architecture Team working on the design on the new Harim Group Headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. The solution? An S-shaped recess in the façade designed to sparkle with LED lights at night and mirror-finished stainless steel during the day.

Working with Well-Light, a Korean lighting design consultant and Zahner, a custom-made metal panel manufacturer based in Kansas City, the team chose bump-patterned perforated stainless steel panels to act as the framework for the facade. The panels are mirror finished stainless steel on both the inside and outside to create daytime sparkle too.

Between the panels the team installed more than 10,000 LED lights of 4,000k color temperature. “We tested several different color temperatures,” says Jay Chung, Director of Korea Operations.” When we tried 3,000k color temperature lights it looked like the building was on fire. The 4,000k lights ended up giving us the perfect light. Plus they’re energy efficient.”

The lights are designed to draw people into this highly trafficked area. “They provide such a vibrant light” says Jay, “that people mistake the building for a fashion company headquarters!”